"Billy" Ramsbottom Gets Probation in Theft Case

A Macon businessman who admitted stealing money from his partners -- including two former Atlanta Braves and a Falcon -- received 15 years probation.

William "Billy" Ramsbottom Jr. received 15 years probation after pleading guilty in Bibb Superior Court to one count of fiduciary theft.

Chief Judge Phil Brown sentenced Ramsbottom Wednesday.

Ramsbottom was indicted in December 2009 on 47 counts of fiduciary theft by taking and two counts of forgery in connection with a commercial property deal on St. Simons Island.

The property was known as Retreat Village Shopping Center. At the time, authorities accused Ramsbottom of embezzling $476,000 from the center deal.

Since then, some of the investors who lost money in the deal sent a letter to Judge Brown asking that he accept a first-offender plea and sentence Rambottom to probation.

Those signing the letter include former Atlanta Braves John Rocker and Ryan Klesko and former Atlanta Falcons punter Chris Mohr.

In the letter, the signers said, "We have finally reached an agreement with Mr. Ramsbottom and his mother, Betty Luce, that address various financial issues related to Retreat Village Shopping Center. In the agreement, Mr. Ramsbottom has agreed to cooperate in our ongoing efforts to ultimately obtain full and complete compensation for all of our losses..."

Terms of the reimbursement agreement have not been disclosed.

District Attorney Greg Winters said the remaining charges against Ramsbottom were dismissed as part of the plea arrangement.